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<title>The Urchin and The Highwayman by SheWalksInBeauty26</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23151670">The Urchin and The Highwayman</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SheWalksInBeauty26/pseuds/SheWalksInBeauty26'>SheWalksInBeauty26</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Regency, Author reads too many historical romance novels, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Ben is not nice right now, F/M, Former urchin Rey, Gun Violence, Highwayman Ben Solo, Jane Austen reference see if you can catch it, Lord Palpatine, Minor Character Death, Rey Needs A Hug, Rey Palpatine, Sheev is a nobleman but he still sucks, Travel by carriage is most perilous, UST, knife, reylo regency</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:02:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,193</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23151670</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SheWalksInBeauty26/pseuds/SheWalksInBeauty26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Recently discovered granddaughter of Lord Palpatine, Reyna, is traveling by carriage to Naboo with her grandfather. Their carriage is attacked by a tall, mysterious man clad in black.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Sheev Palpatine &amp; Rey</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Reylo Theme Event</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Urchin and The Highwayman</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is my contribution to the reylo theme event in the Writing Den-- this is just a look into a possible alternate universe for our favorite space dorks.</p><p>Hope you enjoy xx</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Rey Kenobi grew up as a street urchin. A nobody. Barely a farthing with which to buy bread.</p><p>Which is why being bounced to and fro along the road to Lord someone’s estate in an opulent carriage was so outside the realm of normalcy for her. Though she’d always lived as the natural-born daughter of nobody knows who, she had recently fallen into quite the change in circumstances.</p><p>Her time as a maid at Coruscant Manor had abruptly ended when the Master arrived home, recognized her locket, and in short order, had proclaimed her his long-lost granddaughter.</p><p>Rey, the granddaughter of nobility, and a Palpatine at that.</p><p>The carriage jostled, knocking her shoulder harshly into the paned-glass carriage window. She winced. They had a few more hours until they would rest at an inn. She knew she was exhausted and was only a passenger, she couldn’t imagine how the horses must be faring.</p><p>A snore broke her from her reverie. Across from her sat her mysterious new relation— Grandfather. Lord Palpatine. His status was evident in his clothing: a gold pocketwatch gleamed in the darkness of the carriage inside a smart-looking greatcoat, protection from the cold winter night.</p><p>Rey envied his state of somnolence and pulled her downy fur wrap closer about her. She still couldn’t believe the kind and indeed, variety of clothing she’d been appointed in her new status. Where she once used to have one dress and a few chemises to her name, she now had multiple dresses, with their own purposes, for one day! It was silly to Rey, but it was expected, as Grandfather had put it, of “a lady of her station”</p><p>She sighed audibly, knowing it wouldn’t rouse her companion.</p><p>With her new status came a myriad of new responsibilities. She was expected to look and act perfectly put-together all the time. And that included attending many big productions of people whose only purpose was to see and be seen. Rey knew what purpose was, it was unspoken, but governed every aspect of her new life. Marry a rich man and bring glory to the family.</p><p>Rey’s nose wrinkled at the prospect of being inevitably parceled off to some hideous old man like an animal. But what could she do? She had no agency, she was only a pawn.</p><p>As her thoughts turned towards this familiar, albeit sad path, she heard a loud noise like a gunshot, and the unmistakable feel of the carriage roughly slowing to a halt. Her eyes widened, and she pushed the curtains away from the window, trying to peer through the darkness to understand what had happened. In the midst of the commotion, her grandfather woke with a start.</p><p>“Reyna! What is happening? Why are we stopping! We’re not yet to Naboo!”</p><p>Rey tried to gather her own wits to answer him when the carriage door was thrown open.</p><p>“Out! Both of ye!” growled a man with hair the color of fire. He was waving a large pistol in the air.</p><p>They jumped to action, her grandfather falling all over himself in his haste to exit the carriage.</p><p>Rey remembered with a touch of regret that Grandfather had thought to travel with a weapon was “gauche” and “common,” far beneath his high status. Who would attack a nobleman’s carriage, after all?</p><p>Well, it seemed his luck had run out.</p><p>As they stepped out into the freezing air, Rey glanced around to see that one of the coachmen had slumped at his perch, blood gushing from his chest. Oh god. They’d shot him. Their lives were well and truly in danger.</p><p>She looked to her right and saw a midnight black stallion, and atop it, the broadest man she had ever seen. She mused that rider matched steed. The great mountain of a man swung smoothly down and his cloak whipped in the wind. Rey could make out a deep red scar running across his face and neck. She shivered when she looked into his eyes-- dark brown and glinting with something powerful. Hatred? Anger? Rey couldn’t be sure, but it made her blood run cold and hot.</p><p>The red-headed man was currently attempting to tie up Lord Palpatine.</p><p>“Leave him, Hux. He won’t try to escape, the coward, and he is never armed.” This last he uttered with a cruel chuckle. His voice was rich and deep like the bitter dark chocolate Rey had been given when she was a little girl at Christmas.</p><p>He strode towards them quickly, stopping just in front of Lord Palpatine.</p><p>“Sir! Please! I have, I can give you money! Great sums! Just let us go!”</p><p>The man paused as if ruminating over this offer.</p><p>“And why do you assume it is money I want?”</p><p>“I...assumed…” Palpatine began.</p><p>“You assumed wrongly old man. What I want is for you to deliver a message. You are going to Naboo are you not?”</p><p>“Y-yes”</p><p>“I want you to tell that sniveling bastard Skywalker and his trollop of a wife that Benjamin is coming home. And that he better be ready for me to claim what I am owed.”</p><p>Rey’s mind raced, trying to uncover the meaning behind this cryptic message.</p><p>“Do you understand, my Lord?” The man asked, layering the title in mocking sarcasm.</p><p>“Sir, I don’t understand why this is necessary- why can’t you send word yourself?”</p><p>Abruptly the man’s steely gaze turned to her.</p><p>In two long strides, he had seized Rey and slid an arm tightly around her waist, and in a flash of silver, the cold blunt edge of a knife was pressed loosely against her windpipe.</p><p>“Are you going to concede with my request or not? I have your precious cargo, and what will Snoke say if his pretty little bride is left for dead on the side of the road?”</p><p>Rey began to panic in earnest, going lightheaded. He was going to kill her!</p><p>She was too afraid to struggle and so tried to distance herself from the knife, inadvertently molding herself to the man’s chest. It was hard and unmoving, warmth emanating through the layers of clothing.</p><p>She turned wide eyes towards her grandfather who had also reached a new level of hysteria.</p><p>In his fear, he attempted confidence.</p><p>“Unhand her, scoundrel! She is a noblewoman!”</p><p>A mistake.</p><p>Rey let out a high, keening wail as the man’s grip on her waist tightened. The blade pressed ever closer.</p><p>“Are you sure about that? You know I can take whatever I want.”</p><p>Her grandfather’s confident demeanor dissolved.</p><p>“Yes! Yes! I will do what you say, but please unhand her!”</p><p>All at once, the warmth on her back and the cold press of the knife at her throat disappeared.</p><p>“If I hear that it is not done, I will return and see myself avenged. Beware, my Lord.”</p><p>And, with a last long look in Rey’s direction, he and his companion rallied their horses and raced off into the darkness.</p><p>Rey was too stunned to comprehend that her locket was missing.</p><p>She couldn’t help but notice how finely made the man’s clothes were. She had never heard of highwaymen who wore velvet-lined cloaks.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Anyone spot the Jane Austen reference?</p></blockquote></div></div>
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